


It's Raining in London

by cyn_ful



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Community: hp_drizzle, HP Drizzle Fest 2019, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-10-29 09:43:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20794595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyn_ful/pseuds/cyn_ful
Summary: Harry comes upon Narcissa Malfoy on his way home.





	It's Raining in London

**Author's Note:**

> [ **AUTHOR: CYN_FUL** ](https://cyn-ful.livejournal.com/)
> 
> _Prompt_: Harry finds Narcissa (or Pansy) in the pouring rain, in a state of panic and not making any sense at all, clutching him and urging him to “save Draco”.

The dark clouds covered the sky, releasing a downpour that London had not seen in ages. All the occupants of the city were drenched, barely drying out when they made it into their homes. The Muggles said the world was ending, they had not seen such torrential rains in nearly a century. For the wizards and witches and their charms, they had given up as well. The rain blew in with gale like forces to where even the best Impervious was breached. They had perfected drying charms upon entering their homes and cleaning spells for the mud caked around their shoes.

Harry Potter seemed immune to the weather, even with the charms. It may have been his years of doing the lawn work in all kinds of weather or even from his year spent camping with Hermione and Ron where they only had the tent for protection. He kept his “wandbrella”, as he liked to call it, up even when the rain chose to change direction and spray in his face. He would stop and just stare up into the clear barrier, watching as the rain pelted it; not caring that it was still splashing in from multiple directions. Nearing Grimmauld Place he stopped and did just that. He would be dry in a few moments, but this was the last bit of freedom he had to himself before he had to put on his “Harry” smile for Hermione and Ron. 

Not that he minded them living there with him. He loved his best friends dearly, but sometimes he just longed for the silence of his cupboard. They didn’t quite understand that he still needed the space to be alone, but they gave it to him when he disappeared into the attic. He had moved his own room up there just for the privacy and space that it offered. Ron and Hermione technically had separate rooms, but he knew that when he went to bed the wall between their rooms disappeared. It was why Hermione had an entire wall with nothing on it. He let them pretend. They all needed their own space sometimes.

Opening his eyes when he heard a distinctive pop, he looked around. He gripped his wand tighter and found the source of the sound. A figure was standing in the rain staring at the row of homes before him. A witch, obviously. She seemed to know exactly where the house was, but did not know the location. So, someone searching for him. He lowered his wand a bit more so that he could cancel the spell easily and be prepared for defense. He took in her haggard appearance. From this distance, her hair was clumped, yet stringy. It had possibly been up before she came out into the weather. The once white dress clung to her curves. He could hear the incoherent muttering from his location. His steps were muffled as he inched closer. Her body seemed to collapse right into the gutter. She ignored the water running past her and soiling the dress even more. 

Forgetting that he was being ever vigilant, he approached her. “Ma’am, is there anything I can help you with?” She didn’t turn her head, just continued to mumble. He lowered the umbrella, allowing the rain to soak through his cloak. “Are you lost?”

His gasp was drowned out when she turned her head and peered up at him. “You have to save him.”

“Mrs. Malfoy?” Harry scanned the area for others, but she didn’t try to hide herself when she popped in. “Are you alright?”

“You have to help. He needs you.” She repeated, trying to stand up but falling back into the water. “Please save him.” Tears ran down her upturned face, mixing with the rain. Dirt streaks lined the path of the tears along the pale complexion.

Harry reached to grab her and help her stand. “Come inside, Mrs. Malfoy. We can talk about it in the house after we get you dried off.”

She grabbed his arm and held on tightly. “Please. He’s going to die. He needs help.”

Harry tried to guide her with a few steps, but she was firmly planted in her spot. “Let’s get you inside and we can straighten this out.”

“No time. He is going to die. Stuck forever.”

Without any other choice, he sent his patronus into the house to get some aid. “I won’t let him die, but in order to stop it I need to know more,” he said softly sighing in relief as he watched the door open with Hermione and Ron at the ready. “Who are we helping? Can you tell me as we walk in?” He tried to move her again, but she wouldn’t budge.

“First it was gray. Then it was ruby. Then it was emerald.” She stared through him with glassy eyes. She grabbed his sleeve. “It wasn’t supposed to turn. It wasn’t supposed to spark.” She stared fiercely into his eyes. “It was supposed to be opal. Only opal.”

“Yes, the colors, I understand.” He said as if to soothe a wild beast, as Hermione flicked her wand with an impervious around the two of them. Ron got there at the same time and took one of her arms to help her in. “Look, Ron and Hermione are here. They will help.”

She clenched his sleeve and pulled the other arm from Ron’s grasp and clutched his shirt. “He’s going to die!”

Ron caught Harry’s eye over her head and nodded. Through their unspoken conversation they slipped her arms around their necks and walked her to the door. Hermione tried to get her to talk as they crossed the street only slightly faster than the turtle that had come out in the rain.

“Mrs. Malfoy, where is your husband?”

“Gone. He saw the gold and left. It was brilliant and bright and broke the contracts.” She faced the other witch. “Then it went poof.”

“So, can we reach him by house elf?”

“He’s trying to kill him. It’s bad.” Her eyes widened as she crossed the threshold into the Black family’s manor. “Home.” 

“Yes, it was your home a long time ago, wasn’t it. You want to come get warm by the fire,” Harry said softly. “Kreacher!”

“Master Harry…Mistress Cissy! What is wrong, my mistress?” Kreacher snapped his fingers and had a fire blazing in the great room. “Kreacher must fix, Missy.” He held out a blanket to Ron who wrapped it around her. The two men were pushed away magically as she was moved to the chair closest to the fire. “Kreacher be back with soup, Mistress Cissy!” He disappeared faster than any of them had seen him move since the battle.

“So, Lucius then…” Ron started.

“No! Going to kill him. Fire. No hope.” The tears rolled down her face unchecked as she focused on Harry again.

Harry kneeled in front of her, clasping her hands. “We will take care of this, Mrs. Malfoy.” 

Kreacher came back into the room and handed a steaming bowl of chicken soup to Ron. “Mistress Cissy must eat every bite.” He glared at the wizard as Ron gulped.

“Kreacher, see if you can get into the Manor and find either Mr. Malfoy or Draco.”

Hermione came into the room with a cup of tea that she handed to Harry. “Here, try this, Mrs. Malfoy. We have some tea and soup.” Hermione waved her wand and brought a table over to sit in front of the witch. Ron set the soup down and Harry the tea. He slid one of the witch’s hands onto the cup.

Harry stood up and nodded his head to the corner. The three friends moved to the corner of the room where they could keep an eye on her. “Any ideas, guys?”

“Did she just show up?” Ron questioned.

“She apparated just as I was about to come in.”

“Obviously she is undergoing a severe traumatic shock to an event that has left her bereft of hope. I wonder if she was poisoned or if it was a potion,” Hermione pondered as she kept her eyes on the chair. “A potion possibly, if there were colors and sparks. That makes sense. If she were poisoned then she would not be up and about. On the other hand, it could have been a misplaced spell and she has become delusional.”

“Hermione, slow down. It doesn’t make sense. Why would she come here for any of that? I’m more worried about who is going to die and why.”

“Do you think Draco found the wrong side of his father?” Ron asked.

“Maybe. I don’t think Lucius is happy about something.” 

The trio stood talking until Kreacher came back. He was holding a container of frogs. “Master Harry, sir. I think we is needing help.”

Narcissa stood up suddenly and grabbed for the container of frogs. “Be careful! You will hurt him.” She lovingly caressed the side of the jar. “It’s okay, Mummy has you. Mummy will fix everything.” She put her hand into the jar and touched a frog. The frog jumped and split into two more frogs.

“Oh hell, this is bad.” Ron said. “It’s like the Hufflepuff cup all over again,” he said as the frogs kept multiplying.

“Stop touching the frogs!” Hermione said in a rush as she went to get the jar. 

Narcissa wouldn’t hand the jar over. “Mummy won’t let anyone get you.”

“Oh Merlin, he turned himself into a frog!” Hermione exclaimed. “He’s right down there in the bottom. He is the only frog with gray eyes.”

“Blimey. How do we fix this?”

Narcissa looked up at Harry, even though it had been Ron who asked. “You kiss him, of course. I tried to get Astoria to do it, but he began to multiply when she touched him. I called all his friends over, yet more frogs. Lucius has gone to get an exterminator. He’s going to kill my baby.” She cried as she clutched the container again.

“Kiss the frog?” Ron scrunched up his nose.

“Like the fairytale?” Hermione asked. “Shouldn’t it be a princess?”

Narcissa stared at her. “I have tried a princess. Nothing is working.” She held out the jar to Hermione. “Would you like to try?”

The horror was written across Hermione’s face. “Not really, but I would take one for the team, so to speak.”

“No, Hermione!” Ron yelled. He stepped forward to stop her and tripped, falling down with the container of frogs. Draco jumped out of the container onto him and began to multiply.

“Catch him, quick!” Hermione bent down to catch him as he hopped off of the redhead. As she caught him mid-jump he multiplied again. “Harry, help!”

Harry, who had stood dazed, moved into action. He stepped over the frogs that were multiplying everywhere and chased after the one gray-eyed frog with white markings on its head. Narcissa sank to the floor in the middle of the frogs as Kreacher tried to gather them up. Each time anyone touched one of the other frogs, it multiplied. 

Harry jumped over a table. “Ah ha! I caught you!” He sat up from where he had tumbled on the landing, holding a frog in both hands. He began to stroke its head and stare at it closely. “Now how do we fix you?”

“Obviously you are the one that has to kiss him,” Hermione replied. “You are the only one he hasn’t multiplied with.”

Harry’s outrage shone. “_I_ have to kiss him? I thought _you_ were taking one for the team.”

“Mate, she’s right. Hermione touches him and there will be another twenty frogs. Just get it over with.” Ron turned his head so he wouldn’t turn green.

“Please, Mr. Potter. Save my son!”

He looked into the frog’s eyes. The frog look back at him with a single solitary “ribbit.” “Malfoy, you had better have a good explanation for this.” He scrunched up his nose and closed his eyes. He opened one to a squint as he brought the frog closer. He held it to his lips for the barest of moments, long enough to say he actually kissed a frog before pulling back. “Nothing. You better not give me warts,” Harry said to the frog.

He turned around to face Narcissa again, Draco jumped out of his hands. The room sparked as the magic began to work. After the lights dimmed to normal, Draco stood before them with jeans and a t-shirt on. He glanced around nervously as his mother dropped the jar of frogs and embraced him. “Draco!” 

“Mother, enough. We are in public.”

“Your father is not happy. He has already threatened your death.” She glanced at Harry. “He will be even more unhappy.”

“Father needs to learn that I will be happy,” Draco said with a sheepish smile. “It can’t be swept into the broom closet.”

Harry looked over at Hermione and Ron, both of whom looked shocked. “So, um, Malfoy. Don’t scare your mum again. You only have one of them and you need to hold onto them.”

Draco stepped away from his mother and held out a hand to Harry. “Thank you for assisting me, Potter, although I was going to be quite happy to live my days out as a frog if need be.”

“So you did this on purpose?” Harry questioned as he took the other’s hand.

Draco smirked. “I was being forced into a marriage that would not work, so I took matters into my own hands.” He pulled Harry closer to him and brushed the fringe off his forehead. “I hope you don’t mind; our courtship begins now.” 

“Wait, what?”

“I must get Mother home and taken care of, but obviously you broke the spell. No one can say anything about our courtship and eventual marriage. Magic herself decided who the princess…well, Prince...should be.” He pulled Harry’s head to his and kissed him softly. “Thank you. I’ll be in touch.” He nodded to Hermione and Ron and took his mother’s arm. “Let’s get home and clean out the frogs.”

“Did it have to be frogs?” Narcissa asked quietly tilting her nose ever so slightly into the air.

“Yes, Mother. According to the potion’s guidelines it was frogs. Snape had even tested it out years ago.”

Narcissa sighed as the two of them stepped into the flames and flooed home.

“So, congratulations, Harry,” Ron said timidly. 

Hermione giggled. “It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy,” she tried to say with a straight face.

He turned to them, still in a state of shock. “I have to marry him?”

Hermione nodded, barely keeping a straight face. “Well, it always ends in ‘They lived happily ever after.’ So, obviously…”

Ron sat down and laughed. “Good luck, Mate.”

**Author's Note:**

> This story/art is part of an anonymous fest: drizzle 2019. Reveals will be in mid-October. Please do not repost anywhere else without explicit permission from the original creator.


End file.
